Early returns tonight showed Wolf with a big lead over three fellow hopefuls.

Wolf's primary victory comes after a months-long courtship of voters. His seemingly unending series of TV ads featured his Jeep Wrangler and testimonials from his wife, his two grown daughters and employees of his kitchen cabinet company.

Voters said the folksy ads helped win them over. Wolf began them in the dead of winter after putting $10 million of his own money into the campaign.

His win sets up a race against a governor who has struggled with low approval ratings. Every Pennsylvania governor since 1970 has been awarded a second term.